31 January. Jolly news for these snowy times - Rebellion are to release a 48-page Cor! & Buster Special on 17 April, featuring characters including Sweeney Toddler and Gums, drawn by the likes of Ned Hartley, Cavan Scott, Abigail Bulmer and Tanya Roberts. This will be followed by a reprint for Free Comic Book Day (4 May) entitled Funny Pages, featuring reprints from the archive.

29 October. Judge Dredd Megazine will include a bagged tribute to the late Carlos Ezquerra. "Carlos' death was a profound shock, not just to everyone at 2000AD but also to his fans across the world," says editor Matt Smith. "This small collection of his stories shows not just his evolution as an artist but also a sense of his incredibly consistent quality over more than four decades."

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Thursday, December 18, 2014

Commando issues 4767-4770

Commando issues on sale 18th December 2014

Commando No 4767 – Armistice!
On the morning of the 28th of June 1914, two pistol shots fired in a Sarajevo street had plunged the world into war.
A little over four years later the guns finally fell silent. An armistice had been agreed. Now the surviving soldiers, sailors and airmen could return home and resume their lives. For some it wouldn’t be as simple as that, though. For some there were still battles to be fought — even if they couldn’t fight them for themselves.

Introduction
As a tribute to those who served during the years 1914-1918 — on the Home Front or at Front Line — Commando has produced a series of stories of characters caught up in the tumult of the First World War. None of them are real people but we’d like to think that the experiences they have will not be a million miles from what actually happened to so many.
Over the last 11 months, Jimmy Lomas has been selling newspapers to passing servicemen from his pitch on the railway station. Now, finally, he has been called up and pitched into action in the trenches. How will he fare in this most hostile of environments, facing angers he could only imagine from the snippets passed to him by his uniformed customers.—Calum Laird, Commando Editor

Our Great Warriors series is now finished. We have enjoyed putting it together for you and hope that you’ve enjoyed it too. Perhaps you’d like us to do other series like this, perhaps not. Either way, let us know it’s always good to hear from you.

Story: George Low
Art: Keith Page
Cover: Ian Kennedy

Commando No 4768 – Night Fighter
Above all things, AC1 Bert Barnet, wireless operator, longed to fly a plane.
Bert got his wish — but in a way that made his worst nightmares seem tame!
Three thousand feet up in hostile night skies, alone with an unconscious pilot in a shot-up Beaufighter, the completely untrained Bert got his chance to fly a fighting plane — or to die trying!

Introduction
While we try to keep Commando as authentic as possible, we have taken liberties over the years. Sometimes the plots are well over-the-top, sometimes — like here — they’re just the tiniest bit far-fetched. It’s still very believable but... For all that it is a good yarn, one that’ll have you rooting for the main character. Let’s hope the author doesn’t let you down.
Inside artist, Medrano, is up there with the best of war aviation artists and his crisp, precise eye for detail adds an extra layer of enjoyment to the story. He’s also not afraid to use a lot of black ink, and does so to good effect.
No doubt it was Ken Barr’s cover that drew you in, rest assured the contents of the book live up to its promise.—Calum Laird, Commando Editor

By Summer 1945 the war in Europe was over but there was still much work for men like Military Police Lieutenant Grant Sim. He helped to keep the peace in a shattered Germany where danger lurked in the form of unexploded bombs, and crime was rife on its ravaged streets.
Grant had unfinished business, too. His brother, an RAF pilot, had been callously executed after being shot down. Now, with an unlikely ally to aid him, the Redcap was poised to capture his brother’s killer. He was… OUT FOR JUSTICE

Story: George Low
Art: Vila
Cover: Janek Matysiak

Commando No 4770 – Too Old To Fight
Regimental-Sergeant-Major Burnham Bulworth had been a soldier for forty years. Built like a tank, he was an ogre on the parade ground, a legend on the battlefield; his whole life dedicated to the army.
Some said he could chase off entire enemy divisions on his own. But the greatest threat to his career wasn’t the Germans…it was a short-sighted clerk with the devastating news that Burnham was now… TOO OLD TO FIGHT

Introduction
If “Too Old To Fight” were a movie, it could be described as a “Buddy Cop” action film — featuring two characters who initially dislike each other but who, when circumstances force them to work together, resolve some of their differences along the way.
This is a terrific Commando adventure — script, interior art and cover are all top-notch, thanks to a team of the comic’s finest freelance creators. There are plenty of thrills and spills but at the heart of it is the most important thing of all — wonderful characters.—Scott Montgomery, Deputy Editor

AVAILABLE NOW!Forgotten Authors Vol.1Click here for details and payment options"This is utterly fascinating: what a terrific accomplishment! It has held and engaged me. Authors who are only names have been documented and recorded, from the pathetic to the successful, and everywhere in between. This is incredible research, and I cannot begin to thank you enough for sharing it. I’m dipping into it with absolutely enormous pleasure."—Richard Bleiler"Recommended for anyone with an interest in the history of books, book publishing, obscure authors or even researching family history. Looking forward to Volume 2"—Amazon review.

AVAILABLE NOW!The Men Behind Flying Saucer ReviewClick here for details and payment options"Beginning in 1955, the Flying Saucer Review has been key to chronicling the appearance of Unidentified Flying Objects and the latest theories of why they have been appearing in our skies. A dedicated group of enthusiasts - amongst them an accountant, a publisher's editor, a test pilot, a novelist and a member of the House of Lords - were amongst those who helped put together this remarkable magazine. Who they were and how they came to work together makes for a fascinating tale, some of it as curious as the phenomena the magazine studied."

AVAILABLE NOW!Countdown to TV ActionClick here for details and payment options."The perfect compliment to my set of Countdown/TV Action" - Graham Bleathman."A wonderful trip down memory lane. Recommended" - Paul Simpson, Sci-Fi Bulletin"If you read Countdown as a child, you'll be fascinated by this account of its making ... indispensable." - John Freeman, Down the Tubes"The definitive history of the title" - Lew Stringer, Blimey!"I urge you to grab a copy and give Steve Holland a tip of the hat for the amount of hard work, research and love he's poured into making a book of information become an interesting story" - Barnaby Eaton-Jones, The Cult Den

Lion King of Picture Story PapersClick here to order"It's a great read in itself and has sent me back to the Lion comic to re-read some of my childhood favourites. The pictures are reproduced crystal clearly and even this old man can read the original art ... It's a gorgeous book and if we are snow-bound as the media has been saying for weeks, I have plenty to keep me amused this chilly January weekend!" - Norman Boyd.

Sexton Blake Annual 1941Click here to order"If you've been meaning to give Sexton Blake's adventures a try, this would be a great place to start. I've seen the actual annuals go on Ebay for three or four hundred bucks, so this is definitely a bargain too." - Singular Points.

Peter Jackson's London Is Stranger Than FictionClick here to order"The original books have been highly collectable for many years now, but finally they’ve been republished in a single volume from Bear Alley Books ... for the ridiculously reasonable price of £14.99. Do yourself a favour. " Christopher Fowler.

OUT OF PRINT!ArenaClick here for details and payment options"This book goes straight to the top of my large reading pile" - Graeme Neil Reid"With reality TV overload and the rise of the risque and the brutality of today’s society, this story still has a pertinent message for those of us who are willing to listen to it. In fact, I think the story is more relevant today than it was in 1979." - Colin Noble, Down the Tubes"The story is a fun read, but the star of the show is the art. Alcatena is a class act." - Hibernia Comics